Following the 4th Vietnam – United States Energy Security Dialogue, on August 30th 2022, a meeting between the Institute of Energy – Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the US Department of Energy was taken place at the Headquarter office of the Institute.
On the side of the Institute of Energy (IE), there were Dr. Sc. Tran Ky Phuc, Director General; Deputy Director General: MSc Doan Ngoc Duong, Dr. Nguyen Duc Hanh, MSc Le Viet Cuong and representatives of the heads of several units under the Institute. Mr. David Turk, Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Energy, Ms. Elizabeth Urbanas, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ms. Arpita Bhattacharya, Chief of Staff, and Mr. Ron Benioff, Executive Director of the Net Zero World Action Center, were on the side of the US Department of Energy. Ms. Lynne Gadkowski, Economic Counsellor of the US Embassy in Vietnam, and members of the Embassy staff accompanied the delegation.
Director General Tran Ky Phuc warmly welcomed and thanked Mr. David Turk, US Deputy Secretary, and members of the delegation for visiting and working with IE.
Dr.Sc. Tran Ky Phuc, Director General of the Institute of Energy
Director General Tran Ky Phuc went up key achievements of IE, a scientific and technological research organization under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The Institute’s activities now, after 60 years of development, include research on national energy/electricity development policy, strategy, and planning; scientific – technological and environmental research, and energy development; science and technology consulting services. The National Power Development Plan VIII and the National Energy Master Plan for the period 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050 are two significant national sector planning projects that the Institute is currently working on. With extensive experience, in-depth research capacity and professional consultancy, the Institute has cooperated with many US partners to successfully implement numerous energy projects on providing science and technology services and technical consulting, including studies on mechanisms and policies, electricity market, gas power, LNG and wind power such as: Bac Lieu LNG power plant project, BOT Son My 2 gas-fired power plant and some potential wind power projects in the North, etc. Many US corporations, including ExxonMobil Corporation, GE, and AES, have become important partners of the Institute.
Director General Tran Ky Phuc expressed his gratitude to Mr. David Turk and the US Department of Energy delegation for their visit and work with the Institute, which helped to fortify IE’s cordial relationship with US partners and businesses in particular as well as the ties between Vietnam and the United States in general. Director General Tran Ky Phuc highlighted the contents of the National Power Development Plan VIII, which was completed under the direction of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, including reviewing the feasibility of coal-fired and LNG power projects, considering increasing the proportion of renewable energy, particularly offshore wind power, and aiming to achieve the net-zero target by 2050. This commitment at COP26 demonstrates the Vietnamese Government’s high sense of responsibility, but it also poses a significant challenge for a developing country in general, and agencies and businesses operating in the energy sector including IE in particular. Overcoming this challenge will necessitate financial and technical assistance from the international community, particularly the United States.
The Director General discussed issues that Vietnam and the United States in general, IE and the US Department of Energy, US corporations, partners, businesses in particular, are interested in and have many opportunities to cooperate in the coming time, such as: researching and evaluating the potential of renewable energy in Vietnam; the roadmap for converting thermal power plants in Vietnam towards the goal of neutralizing greenhouse gas emissions nationwide by 2050; research and development of battery storage in Vietnam; research and development of technology for the production, storage and distribution of green hydrogen; technical support, promotion of research and implementation capacity in renewable energy development, etc.
Mr. David Turk thanked IE for the gracious welcome and shared his thoughts on the Institute’s approach to developing Vietnam’s Power Development Plan VIII in light of the swift and unpredictable changes of the global energy picture. The US government and businesses are keen to collaborate and support the development of Vietnam’s energy and power industries, sharing their consensus and interest in the topics that the Institute has suggested for discussion.
At the end of the meeting, Director General Tran Ky Phuc expressed his hope that Mr. David Turk would continue to support and introduce US science and technology organizations, corporations, and businesses to cooperate, research, exchange, and share experiences with IE in the fields of energy and power development.
Some photos from the meeting.
